Hydro International incorporates future-proof design as standard for its most popular Hydro-Brake® Optimum vortex flow controls

Hydro International, an industry leader in water management products and services, is redefining the hydraulic efficiency and adjustability standard with an upgrade to its most popular and highest-performing flow control. Hydro-Brake® Optimum Hydraulically Efficient vortex flow controls will now incorporate an adjustable inlet as standard.

The adjustable inlet will enable engineers to future-proof their drainage design with up to plus or minus 20% change in design flow should additional developments or urban creep cause an increase in flows, saving the cost of a replacement flow control.

When using their free Online Design Tool (hydro-int.design), the adjustable intake will be automatically included on units designed with the default ‘Hydraulically Efficient’ objective. The tool will output a unique triple head/discharge curve showing the maximum and minimum flow rate range. The initial setting of the designed unit will be the centre line, shown in blue. The unit can be adjusted to any flow rate within the minimum/maximum range post-installation.

Using the Online Design Tool, engineers designing a Hydro-Brake® Optimum can select from a range of different objectives to meet their design requirements, including:

• Hydraulically Efficient – passing forward as much flow as possible early in a storm event, enabling engineers to reduce the amount of upstream storage volume required. Now with the adjustable inlet as standard.
• Minimise Blockage Risk – optional large inlet and outlet openings while delivering the same design flow.
• Linear Discharge Profile – designed to generate a discharge close to the linear, providing similar hydraulic performance to an orifice plate, but with internal clearances approximately two to four times larger.

Engineers designing Hydro-Brake® Optimum units in modelling software such as Autodesk, Site3D and Causeway Flow, should contact Hydro International for the triple head / discharge curve and design outputs.

Ben Puddy, Hydro International Product Manager comments, “With the ability to adjust flows post-installation as standard, Hydro-Brake® Optimum can help designers prepare for the effects of urban creep or regulatory changes. Cost efficiency with the ability to adjust to future flow rates, without the expense of fully refitting the system, ensures projects can be delivered on time, every time. At Hydro International, we have 40 years of expertise which has gone into developing this feature, ensuring risk is mitigated.”

To find out more about this forward-looking vortex flow control visit: hydro-int.com/hboptimum.